Jake McKibbin

It's sweep city in the central. Cards well on their way to being swept by angels, and the cubs just got walked off to be swept by the nationals

Maybe so, but there's still a sizeable enough number of BBE's and it's not like he wasn't hitting homers two weeks ago. Just something that stands out that he maybe hasn't changed too much just yet

Miley could find this his blowup outing as he's allowed more flyballs than you'd expect so far this season. That being said, Brewers are due to tear someone a new one, and Seabold seems as good a choice as any

Keston Hiura's stats make for interesting reading Average exit velo 86.2mph Whiff Rate 33% (40% in majors last season) Chase rate 20% (was 29% in majors) Hard Hit rate just 30.4% This guy needs more time in AAA

It does beg the question if AA is almost like hitting at major league level of movement, and if Nashville would actually be an easier assignment in that way He could be due an early promotion, and honestly may end up being a DH/1B for the Brewers later this season if he keeps this up. Do we think he could be a good defensive 1B with his range? Assuming his kinda quick given the stolen bases total He has a 0.48 GO/AO ratio, this guy elevates the ball a ton, putting up these numbers with just a .261 BABIP, maybe could do with a slightly more line drive approach but even then, wow! 15.7% Strikeout rate with almost as many stolen bases as strikeouts (14/13)

They've also had just 11 strikeouts across the last two games, I think it's fair to say they've been a little unlucky, though the lack of home runs is slightly hurting them, and some well hit balls finding men. Adames looks ready to burst out of his slump, Tellez is hitting well, and that's a bit of a kick start for Turang. But my god, can someone stop Brosseau at third? I'd rather Turang played there if needs be and DH him, it's criminal what he's doing. With so few starts to have five errors this season

Three inches difference when moving up a level is insane

Beginning to wonder just how good this pitching staff is and how much this sticky ball is helping. It almost makes a mockery of things

Yes brother! Love to hear people beating the bajeezus out of their demons, keep it up!

Carlos F Rodriguez is nibbling and dotting his pitches, two strikeouts and a ground out for a clean first inning

Chourio in a ten pitch AB, fouling off a lot of pitches before a grounder up the middle. Unfortunately tagged out trying to stretch a single into a double

Brown Jr is back today in leadoff

In our final monthly award for April 2023, we turn to the bullpen, where the Brewers had some rocky performances in the early going--but also some very notable heroics, leading to several close wins. Who is Brewer Fanatic's Relief Pitcher of the Month? Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports In our final monthly award for April 2023, we turn to the bullpen, where the Brewers had some rocky performances in the early going--but also some very notable heroics, leading to several close wins. Who is Brewer Fanatic's Relief Pitcher of the Month? As a whole, the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff has been the primary reason for their early success–particularly during the recent stretch where they’ve found big (or any) hits hard to come by. The relievers, in particular, have been lights-out, tied for third in ERA in all of baseball with a 2.97 mark, despite being 29th in strikeouts. Craig Counsell has been very effective in how he used each of his pitchers, but it’s important to note how much weak contact they have generated, which is a key contributor to their success so far. While there have been several notable performances, one in particular has been devastatingly good. Reliever of the Month Devin Williams likes to test the hearts of his fanbase, particularly in THAT Padres game, but his calmness under the highest pressure has been incredible. He’s yet to give up a run this season in 9 1/3 innings, with 14 strikeouts and five saves. He is above the 90th percentile in almost every expected statistic, and the 99th for strikeout percentage and whiff percentage. If you needed a Josh Hader replacement, here he is. One thing Williams has been doing so far this season is using his fastball more effectively and more often (5% more than 2022). He gets more extension off the mound than anyone else in baseball, making the fastball play above it’s velocity, and has been targeting either up in the zone and inside to right handers, or slightly down and away to tunnel well with his changeup, a big reason for his success so far (given how well some teams have laid off the changeup). The fastball he threw, in a 3-2 count with one (half-)second on the pitch timer and the bases loaded to Trent Grisham was a key example, and a great call from Contreras to finish off a hitter who wanted nothing more than to walk. The fastball generated a 34.9-percent whiff rate in 2022, but has increased to a stunning 43.5% in 2023, putting away 50% of hitters when he goes to it with two strikes. He has increased vertical break on it, which has helped, but it’s mostly how he’s used it as a weapon rather than merely to set up the changeup that has changed the outcome. When batters sit on it, it can get hit hard, and that’s where the intelligent pitch calling is so crucial to his success. The changeup has still been as dominant as ever, with a 47.5% whiff rate, and producing just an 82.5-mph average exit velocity. He has been viciously consistent in his location of the pitch, down and in to right-handers either on the edge of the zone or dipping below it almost every time, and it’s made the pitch even more unhittable than it was last season. Honorable Mentions Peter Strzelecki Since Matt Bush was put on the 15 day IL, Strzelecki was put into the eighth-inning slot and has been a strong performer all season. As Matthew Trueblood has written, a big development in his arsenal is his new sinker, which has minimized his strikeouts but made him a very effective reliever (in the 82nd percentile for hard hit rate), and he’s refusing to walk players with just a solitary free pass issued so far this season in 13.2 innings. He has recorded a 0.66 ERA, and if not for Williams's outstanding numbers, Strzelecki would have been right in the mix for this award. He is in the top 10% for WOBA, and has been incredibly effective behind the changeup in particular, with a -21 degree launch angle and an average exit velocity of just 80.4 mph. Bryse Wilson Wilson has been an underrated gem so far in the Brewers bullpen, recording a 2.16 ERA across 16.2 innings, taking on long relief roles and even recently helping out in certain situations in the seventh and eighth innings of tight contests. He recorded 18 strikeouts in this span, and compared to last season, has produced significantly better expected statistics, strikeout rate and exit velocity numbers. He hasn’t used the splitter quite as often as we expected given how well it played last season, but has yet to record a hit against his four-seam fastball, with the only pitch that’s received any damage so far being his sinker. Joel Payamps Payamps was considered an afterthought that the Brewers somehow obtained in the deal for William Contreras, but has been an incredible performer so far this season, with a 2.92 ERA, just three walks allowed through 12 1/3 innings, and his underlying metrics showing him in the 98th percentile for average exit velocity and 85th percentile for hard-hit rate. Opponents have an average exit velocity under 80 mph on Payamps’s sinker and his changeup, both of which have above-average movement, and although he has given up damage on the slider, in terms of its profile it may be his best pitch, and the expected numbers are much lower against it. This doesn’t seem to be a case of someone over-performing their ability, but rather someone playing exactly as they expect to, and we can maybe expect him to make the seventh-inning job his own with performances like this. His strikeout numbers aren’t the strongest, but with this defensive corps, he’s exactly the player the Brewers needed. What do you think, Brewer Fanatics? Was there anyone you would argue should be on this list? And who can you see dominating in the month of May? View full article

This, and more importantly just how bad he looked and how much his numbers regressed over the last few seasons. There was no way of predicting he would be prime Chapman, and I'm sure other contending teams passed on him for just this reason. Also injury history

hat's good to know, but I think in this case a coach got tossed in the 3rd inning after raging about it

Absolutely though I think law mentioned something about miller having question marks despite the below I'd actually take may and miller on their own perhaps

Just watching the AB's today, and I'm no guru on these things but last season it almost looked like the exact same swing for every pitch, he seems to be flatter to the ball up in the zone while maintaining his golf swing for those down in the zone. He battled really well for that homer

Misiorowski out to start the third for the first time

Judging from the gameday app, this seems an insanely tight strike zone for both pitchers. Misiorowski being really squeezed, unfortunate not to have racked up three quick strikeouts

Some tough games, but hoping for some more solidity in the offense, who have really struggled, and also have a feeling Corbin is starting to emerge from his slump... Cardinals, Tampa and Houston are going to create one helluva stretch of games

Only one of Feltner's starts so far have come in Colorado, and that was against the Nationals where he gave up 3 ER's Has been using his slider as his main pitch so far this season, with his changeup very well located and bringing a 40% whiff rate, other than that has struggled to generate significant swing and miss. If you get the ball in the air, you'll do damage

Three strikeouts in 22 PA's is huge for Keston, hopefully he has another month or two to keep refining himself and build confidence that lasts. He seems to be swinging and missing less on high stuff and demolishing pitches down in the zone. He definitely needs consistency though and I hope he gets that just to build his confidence back up in his base ability Same for Chourio to record just three for the week, potentially positive signs, if he can start to increase quality of contact on the back of it

Given the likes of Cleveland are never going to trade for Burnes as it's not their nature, I did see an interesting one with the Dodgers today on Baseball trade values Corbin Burnes for Dustin May, Bobby Miller as the center peices, with Graterol and Caleb Ferguson also in there. What would you guys think of May and Miller as two potentials?

Thankfully here's a whole separate reliever of the month award.. though some fierce competition there too